CTS Blog and Articles

The endurance athlete's source for information on training, nutrition, motivation, strategy, and more.

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Correcting the Biggest Mistake Cyclists and Triathletes Make on Climbs

Weekend Reading: Side Effects May Include…

For the first time since the inception of the CTS Endurance Bucket List in 2010, I failed to reach the finish line of an event. Thirty of the 32 CTS Athletes who traveled to Costa Rica for La Ruta de los Conquistadores completed the race – a finisher rate of 94%, compared to the race’s…

Posted: November 14, 2014

Author: CTS

How Detraining Works and 3 Steps to Avoid It

Coaching is almost entirely about motivating and inspiring athletes, and there are a number of ways to accomplish that. Personally, I prefer to emphasize the positive by inspiring athletes to achieve lofty goals. Sometimes, however, athletes respond better to the desire to avoid negative consequences, like losing power, gaining weight, and getting slower. So,…

Posted: November 12, 2014

Author: CTS

Weekend Reading: Workout and Tips to Holiday-Proof Your Training

Since I’m in Costa Rica racing La Ruta de los Conquistadores, I’ve turned the Weekend Reading blog over to Jim Rutberg this weekend. Most of you know Rutty – as we call him around the office – as my co-author on “The Time-Crunched Cyclist”, “Time-Crunched Triathlete” and several other books. He’s also a Pro…

Posted: November 7, 2014

Author: CTS

How to Perform at Your Best in Every Decade

By Chris Carmichael Just as in golf, when it comes to fitness and health you have to think about your short game and your long game. Getting out to exercise today or losing 10 pounds in the next three months is your short game; adding years to your life and – just as important…

Posted: November 5, 2014

Author: CTS

Weekend Reading: The Key to Making it to New Year’s Without Getting Fat

Welcome to Fat Season! Let’s face it; the stretch from Halloween through New Year’s is a minefield of dietary indiscretions. It’s hard to avoid packing on an extra few pounds with everyone shoving high-sugar, high-fat foods in your face in the name of love. And to make matters worse, these months usually coincide with…

Posted: October 31, 2014

Author: CTS

Weekend Reading: 6 Ways to Celebrate Your Birthday on Your Bicycle

Yesterday was my 54th birthday, and I will be the first to acknowledge that I’m a very fortunate man. I have a wonderful family, a thriving business I’m passionate about, and I’m still enjoying cycling and endurance sports without any significant restrictions. One of the best parts of celebrating my birthday this year was…

Posted: October 24, 2014

Author: CTS

Open Mic

Gallery and Caption Contest We hope you enjoyed the Open Mic podcast with Chris Carmichael and Mike Creed. If you haven’t listened to it yet you can find it here or on iTunes. Then check out the gallery below and enter the contest! Click any image for slideshow and captions.

Posted: October 21, 2014

Author: CTS

Weekend Reading: Group Rides Part II – How to Avoid Being “That Guy”

Return to page 1 DON’T… … pull so hard you drop yourself Social group rides tend to wait for dropped riders, which is great, but try not to make them wait for you because you were riding like an idiot. If you take monster pulls at the front and then get dropped, you’re not making…

Posted: October 17, 2014

Author: CTS

Weekend Reading: Group Rides Part II – How to Avoid Being “That Guy”

Last week’s post about how to “win” the local group ride got a lot of people talking, but I realize many athletes participate in much more civil and social group rides. So this week let’s take a look at some etiquette and skills so you don’t end up being “that guy”. Flat tires suck…

Posted:

Author: CTS

Weekend Reading: Mastering 3 Advanced Group Ride Skills

Local group rides are the heart and soul of amateur cycling. These Saturday morning and Tuesday evening rides are where new riders learn to draft, where juniors cut their teeth, and where local bragging rights are earned. Most of all they are a ton of fun, without the pressure and expense of pinning on…